Age Assurance Is Changing the Internet: What Ofcom's New Report Means for Safeguarding Professional
For years, safeguarding professionals have asked a simple question:
Why is it still so easy for children to access harmful content online?
The introduction of the Online Safety Act marked a significant shift in how digital platforms are expected to protect children, and Ofcom's first Use of Age Assurance Report 2026 provides an early picture of what is changing and where significant challenges remain.
This isn't just a report for technology companies, it has important implications for schools, colleges, parents, safeguarding leads and anyone working with children and young people.
What is age assurance?
Age assurance refers to the methods websites and apps use to determine whether someone is old enough to access certain content or services.
This can include:
Age verification using official documents.
Facial age estimation technology.
Digital identity services.
Credit card or payment checks.
Other highly effective methods that estimate whether a user is over 18.
Under the Online Safety Act, services that host pornography or other content harmful to children are now expected to use highly effective age assurance rather than relying on users simply ticking a box to confirm their age.
Progress is happening, but the job isn't finished
Ofcom's report shows that the digital landscape is beginning to change.
Across pornography, dating, social media and other online services, the use of stronger age assurance has increased significantly since the child protection duties came into force. Many of the UK's most-visited pornography websites now have age checks in place, and children are encountering these checks far more often than they were previously.
However, the report also makes it clear that this is only the beginning.
Ofcom found that:
Many services have strengthened age checks.
Some children are still able to reach harmful content.
Around half of the pornography services visited by children still had no age assurance measures in place during the reporting period.
Search engines and other routes can still expose children to harmful material if protections are inconsistent across the online ecosystem.
Safeguarding professionals should see this as progress, not a complete solution.
Technology alone cannot safeguard children
One of the most important messages from the report is that technology has limits. Age assurance can reduce children's exposure to harmful content.
It cannot replace:
trusted adults
digital education
professional curiosity
online safety conversations
effective safeguarding practice
Children remain naturally curious. Some will actively seek ways around restrictions. Others may unintentionally encounter harmful material through friends, shared devices or emerging platforms. Technology should support safeguarding, not replace it.
What does this mean for schools and colleges?
For education providers, the report reinforces the growing importance of digital safeguarding.
Under Keeping Children Safe in Education, organisations are already expected to have effective filtering, monitoring and online safety arrangements in place.
The Online Safety Act adds another layer by placing greater responsibility on technology companies but education providers still have an essential role.
Leaders should be asking:
Do our staff understand how age assurance works?
Are we discussing online risks beyond social media?
Do pupils understand why age restrictions exist?
Are parents aware of the changes happening online?
Does our curriculum reflect emerging digital risks, including AI-generated content, pornography, online grooming and harmful algorithms?
Online safety education has never been more important.
Parents still have a vital role
One encouraging message from the report is that platforms are beginning to take greater responsibility however, no online safety system is foolproof.
Parents and carers continue to play a crucial role by:
talking openly about online experiences
using parental controls where appropriate
encouraging children to seek help if something online worries them
recognising that online safety conversations should evolve as children grow older
Digital resilience is built through relationships, not just technology.
Safeguarding keeps evolving
We often say that safeguarding changes because the world changes and this report is another example.
A few years ago, many harmful platforms had little or no meaningful age checking and today, stronger safeguards are beginning to emerge.
Tomorrow, the challenges may look different again as AI, new apps and evolving technologies reshape children's online experiences. Our safeguarding approach must evolve just as quickly.
Final thoughts
Ofcom's Use of Age Assurance Report 2026 represents an important milestone in improving children's online safety. It shows genuine progress in requiring online platforms to take greater responsibility for protecting young users, while also highlighting that significant work remains.
For safeguarding professionals, the message is clear. Technology is becoming part of the solution but it will never replace informed adults, strong safeguarding cultures and meaningful conversations with children about life online.
At RLB, we believe digital safeguarding is no longer a specialist topic, it is a core safeguarding responsibility. As the online world continues to evolve, so too must our knowledge, confidence and leadership because protecting children online requires all of us to play our part.
Resources
Read the OfCom report here